Overview & Reviews

"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?" That's the opening line of "Mercedes-Benz," a song most famously recorded by singer Janis Joplin in the early 1970s. The tune gently poked fun at materialism and our desire for the finer things in life. It's fitting that the renowned German marque figures prominently in the lyric. Mercedes-Benz has long been known for crafting vehicles that emphasize luxury and refinement. For many, its vehicles are sleek symbols of status, success and good taste.

In January of 1886, Karl Benz unveiled the world's first automobile, a three-wheeled vehicle dubbed the Benz Patent Motor Car. A few months later, Gottlieb Daimler and his chief engineer Wilhelm Maybach rolled out a four-wheeled vehicle powered by his Daimler engine. The first Mercedes was crafted in 1901, shortly after Daimler's death. Built by Maybach, the car was commissioned by Emil Jellinek, one of Daimler's primary distributors, and was ultimately named after Jellinek's daughter, Mercedes.

In 1926, the companies founded by Daimler and Benz merged to form Daimler-Benz AG, and the Mercedes-Benz brand was born. The company's insignia was a three-pointed star wreathed in a laurel; the star was dreamed up by Daimler years earlier, and its three points signified the fact that his engines were used in vehicles that traveled land, air and sea.

Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz name was synonymous with automotive excellence. One of the automaker's earliest vehicles, the 1931 Mercedes-Benz 170, distinguished itself as the world's first production car to offer a technology that was nothing short of extraordinary for the day: four-wheel independent suspension. The '30s and '40s saw Mercedes establishing itself as the brand of choice for car buyers seeking the ultimate in luxury, thanks to coveted cruisers like the 380 and 540K.

The 1950s witnessed the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing," a sports car that has been described as being the world's first supercar. With its dramatic styling and race-bred technology, the 300 SL reigns today as a classic coveted by collectors worldwide. The decade also saw Daimler-Benz making strides in the area of safety technology. The company's Mercedes-Benz 220 sedans were the first vehicles to incorporate its patented "crumple zone" body design, created to absorb impact in the event of a crash.

In 1963, the company cemented its reputation as the home of automotive luxury with the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 600. The elegant, luxurious sedan was also available as a limousine and featured an ahead-of-its-time air suspension system and a V8 engine that boasted 300 horsepower. The decade also saw the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3. This full-size sedan went from zero to 60 in under seven seconds, distinguishing itself as the quickest luxury car is its day.

The 1970s saw the birth of the brand's storied S-Class line of vehicles, opulent sedans and coupes that coddled passengers with powerful engines and a long list of luxury features. The decade also saw Mercedes continuing on the cutting edge of safety technology, by being the first to offer antilock brakes in its vehicles.

Daimler-Benz's safety advancements continued in the 1980s. Its cars were the first to offer airbags and traction control. The manufacturer also raised the bar in terms of ride comfort and handling when it introduced multilink rear suspension. The technology debuted on the compact Mercedes-Benz 190 E, and it remains a vital component of the company's chassis engineering to this day.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles got an extra dose of power and performance in the 1990s, thanks to the manufacturer's partnership with AMG, a performance and tuning shop that was eventually purchased by the company to help produce ultra-high-performance versions of some of its vehicles. The first AMG model offered in the U.S. was the sporty C36 AMG in 1995; since then, Mercedes has gone on to offer an AMG-tuned version of almost all of its vehicles.

The company's current lineup is the most comprehensive in its history. With a variety of sedans, coupes, SUVs and roadsters filling Mercedes showrooms, it seems like the only thing missing is a pickup truck. Surely, the fact that Janis Joplin's song holds as much relevance today as it did four decades ago is a strong indicator that the brand's premier status is still very much intact.

User Reviews:

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  Electronics have defects, but good buy - 2001 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
  By DDS - January 10 - 10:00 am

  I recently purchased this vehicle and have thus far not been surprised with what I found. It was a used vehicle with 50K of miles, but got the extra warranty and know that it will keep at least some of its value.

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  Fun and exciting, but... - 2001 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
  By gump - January 10 - 10:00 am

  Great car. The driving experience is exactly what you think you are buying when you pay the mercedes premium-- impressive engineering, performance...oozing class. The rest of the experience (delivery experience, service, reliability) have all been dreadful. Frequent breakdowns and problems have been followed by frustrating and haphazard service calls. Buy the Lexus. You will be happier.

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  THE GREAT gets GREATER - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By William Waggoner - January 8 - 8:53 pm

  For those who dont understand the difference between a vehicle that is designed for 65 vrs 155 this review will not be of help. While most car makers give you glitz to fool you how good their vehicles are, MB simply makes it happen. Try stopping from 75 and ask yourself a question, was it me or the vehicle that just saved my butt! MB will continue to move on. Other are simply just poor copies.

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  #2 a real Upgrade Xlnt - 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By A real Upgrade..xlnt - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Just a quick update to tell u more about my E550 sport. I have put over 4500 miles since my purchase in March. Just returned from a trip to Vegas. I live in the LA metro area and drove instead of flying. At about 2000 rpm on the tachometer my car averages 82- 85mph. I held constant at that speed and my car got 27.7 mpg. The last climb to elevation over 5000 feet above sea level brought me just below 28mpg. For a V8 near 400 horsepower and torque this is truly amazing. If you drive it mellow, Wow. It pulled every hill without a downshift because of the ample torque. It frustrated others on its ability to make that climb at that pace. The EPA rates it only 23-24 on highway! Great Car!

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  AMG Rocket! - 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By John Campen - January 8 - 7:00 am

  Purchased this 2002 CLK55 AMG in April 2006 with 30,000 miles only on it! Paid $42,500. Cant beat the power nor the handling its incredible! Why go out and buy an new M3 or CLS when you cant get one of these for a fraction of the price. 0-60 in 4.7! The looks are stunning and it catchs everyones attention when you step on it!

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  Stay away from E320: Poorest quality - 2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
  By Jerry - January 7 - 2:16 am

  More problems than you can imagine with the computer, buttons falling off, phone not working. Worst navigation system (Acura & Lexus are better -- I have both). Car had a sticker of $62K new with options. Could have bought four Hundays for that. Made the mistake of buying the SCAM of an extended warranty when the original warranty expired. Nothing but excuses as to why something isnt covered. Hands free phone that came with car doesnt work. Now they are saying its "trim" and not covered. Do yourself a favor and buy a Lexus. Thats what Im going to do. Mercedes "Summer of Love". Give me a break!

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  benz is the best car in the world - 2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class
  By rvinn - January 4 - 2:00 am

  this car is so fantastic from the moment i drove it home i was truley impresed. it handled so well and i would buy it again. benz got it goin on

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  Best Coupe for the Money - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By ljones - January 4 - 2:00 am

  The Mervedes 2003 CLK 320 is the best buy in the sporty coupe offerings. With sunroof open and windows down it has the feel of a convertible, without all of the exposure or hassel of the convertible. Smooth characterizes the entire experience.

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  CLKs are great - 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
  By iamstoked22 - January 4 - 2:00 am

  This is clearly the best vehicle we have ever owned. Its the perfect size for us, its fun to drive and its very safe

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  cl 500 test drives - 2003 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class
  By big Ben - January 4 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car ,I love the suspension system on it, especialy the options of sport and normal driving I also like the fact you can raise the car 2 dif levels. the comfort in the cl is great the seats are wide and offer great support. I also enjoy the tip shift trans I use this mode all the time. The one thing I wish it had was a little more power off the line and and a more agresive sounding exhaust system.